Patent application title: System and Method for Expressing Map According to Change Season and Topography

Abstract:

A system for displaying a map, the system including: a map database
maintaining map data associated with a route; a map data identification
unit identifying map data corresponding to a driving route of a vehicle
from the map database; an information receiving unit receiving weather
information associated with a current seasonal weather from a background
service server in real time; a background data generation unit generating
background data according to an actual environment based on the received
weather information; and a route guidance unit guiding a route by
associating the map data with the generated background data.

Claims:

1. A system for displaying a map, the system comprising:a map database
maintaining map data associated with a route;a map data identification
unit identifying map data corresponding to a driving route of a vehicle
from the map database;an information receiving unit receiving weather
information associated with a current seasonal weather from a background
service server in real time;a background data generation unit generating
background data according to an actual environment based on the received
weather information; anda route guidance unit guiding a route by
associating the map data with the generated background data.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:a background database storing
a background table and a background color table, the background table
including background information for each category, and the background
color table including pattern information and color information for each
season; andan information identification unit identifying background
information, and pattern information and color information for each
season corresponding to current date information from the background
database by analyzing the current date information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the background data generation unit
generates the background data based on the identified background
information, the pattern information and the color information for each
season, and the weather information.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the background database classifies the
background information according to a height of a terrain and stores the
classified background information, and the route guidance unit
differently displays the map data according to the terrain expressed by
the background information.

5. A system for displaying a map, the system comprising:a background
database maintaining background information for each category, and
pattern information and color information for each season according to
the category;a user interface unit receiving a starting location and a
destination from a user;an information receiving unit receiving date
information and weather information from a background service server;an
information identification unit identifying background information, and
pattern information and color information for each season corresponding
to the date information from the background database;a background data
generation unit generating background data based on the weather
information, the background information, and the pattern information and
the color information for each season; anda route guidance unit guiding a
route by associating map data from the starting location to the
destination, with the generated background data.

6. A method of displaying a map, the method comprising:maintaining map
data associated with a route in a map database;identifying map data
corresponding to a driving route of a vehicle from the map
database;receiving weather information associated with a current seasonal
weather from a background service server in real time;generating
background data according to an actual environment based on the received
weather information; andguiding a route by associating the map data with
the generated background data.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:storing a background table
and a background color table, the background table including background
information for each category, and the background color table including
pattern information and color information for each season; andidentifying
background information, and pattern information and color information for
each season corresponding to current date information from the background
database by analyzing the current date information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating generates the background
data based on the identified background information, the pattern
information and the color information for each season, and the weather
information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the storing classifies the background
information according to a height of a terrain and stores the classified
background information in the background database, and the guiding
differently displays the map data according to the terrain expressed by
the background information.

10. A method of displaying a map, the method comprising:maintaining
background information for each category, and pattern information and
color information for each season according to the category in a
background database;receiving a starting location and a destination from
a user;receiving date information and weather information from a
background service server;identifying background information, and pattern
information and color information for each season corresponding to the
date information from the background database;generating background data
based on the weather information, the background information, and the
pattern information and the color information for each season; andguiding
a route by associating map data from the starting location to the
destination, with the generated background data.

11. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for
implementing the method according to claim 6.

Description:

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001]The present invention relates to a method and system for displaying
a map which may guide a route in a more realistic manner by differently
generating background data according to a change of a season and a
terrain and associating the background data with map data.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002]Navigation systems are systems to provide navigation information for
driving of vehicles, such as cars, using satellites. The navigation
systems are referred to as automatic navigation systems. Recently,
navigation systems provide navigation services, and also a variety of
services such as a wireless Internet, video, and call services.

[0003]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a navigation screen provided by a
navigation system according to a conventional art.

[0004]As illustrated in FIG. 1, the navigation system provides map data,
i.e. navigation data, which is associated with a route from a starting
location to a destination. However, although terrain information such as
a farmland, a residential area, a water system, and the like, exist in
actual map data, the navigation system in the conventional art does not
display the terrain information in the map data. Specifically, the
navigation system in the conventional art generates map data, which is
mainly focused on route data and point of interest (POI) information,
based on a driver's driving. Accordingly, the navigation system in the
conventional art does not display the terrain information which is a
background of the map data.

[0005]For example, a driver driving a vehicle in Seoul focuses on the
route data when looking at the map data. However, a great amount of
terrain information such as the farmland, the residential area, the water
system, and the like, besides the route data exists in map data of a
suburb of Seoul. Accordingly, providing a driver driving in the suburb of
Seoul with the map data mainly focused on the route data may result in
providing the driver with fragmentary information.

[0006]Also, in the conventional art, map data according to a weather
condition such as raining, snowing, cloudiness, and the like is not
provided. Accordingly, the navigation system in the conventional art may
not enable the driver to expect and cope with a traffic condition by not
providing the driver with weather information via a screen.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Goals

[0007]The present invention provides a method and system for displaying a
map which generates background data based on weather information received
in real time, background information previously stored for each season,
and pattern information and color information previously stored for each
season, guides a route by associating the background data with map data
which is associated with a driving route of a vehicle, and thereby may
provide the map data in a more realistic manner.

[0008]The present invention also provides a method and system for
displaying a map which classifies background information according to a
height of a terrain; stores the classified background information,
differently displays map data according to the terrain expressed by the
background information, guides a route, and thereby may provide a
background environment image as seen through a driver's eyes.

[0009]The present invention also provides a method and system for
displaying a map which provides weather information such as raining,
snowing, cloudiness, and the like, by including the weather information
in background data, and thereby may enable a driver to expect and cope
with a traffic condition.

[0010]The present invention also provides a method and system for
displaying a map which guides a route by associating map data, received
from a user, from a starting location to a destination with background
data similar to a real environment, and thereby may help a driver safely
drive a vehicle with a wide field of view.

Technical Solutions

[0011]According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
system for displaying a map, the system including: a map database
maintaining map data associated with a route; a map data identification
unit identifying map data corresponding to a driving route of a vehicle
from the map database; an information receiving unit receiving weather
information associated with a current seasonal weather from a background
service server in real time; a background data generation unit generating
background data according to an actual environment based on the received
weather information; and a route guidance unit guiding a route by
associating the map data with the generated background data.

[0012]According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a system for displaying a map, the system including: a
background database maintaining background information for each category,
and pattern information and color information for each season according
to the category; a user interface unit receiving a starting location and
a destination from a user; an information receiving unit receiving date
information and weather information from a background service server; an
information identification unit identifying background information, and
pattern information and color information for each season corresponding
to the date information from the background database; a background data
generation unit generating background data based on the weather
information, the background information, and the pattern information and
the color information for each season; and a route guidance unit guiding
a route by associating map data from the starting location to the
destination, with the generated background data.

[0013]According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of displaying a map, the method including: maintaining
map data associated with a route in a map database; identifying map data
corresponding to a driving route of a vehicle from the map database;
receiving weather information associated with a current seasonal weather
from a background service server in real time; generating background data
according to an actual environment based on the received weather
information; and guiding a route by associating the map data with the
generated background data.

[0014]According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of displaying a map, the method including: maintaining
background information for each category, and pattern information and
color information for each season according to the category in a
background database; receiving a starting location and a destination from
a user; receiving date information and weather information from a
background service server; identifying background information, and
pattern information and color information for each season corresponding
to the date information from the background database; generating
background data based on the weather information, the background
information, and the pattern information and the color information for
each season; and guiding a route by associating map data from the
starting location to the destination, with the generated background data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a navigation screen provided by a
navigation system according to a conventional art;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a system
for displaying a map according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying a map
according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a background
database according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of map data provided by
associating with background data according to an embodiment of the
present invention; and

[0020]FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying a map
according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0021]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a system
for displaying a map according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022]According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system for
displaying a map according to a change of a season and a terrain 200,
hereinafter, a map display system 200, includes a map database 201, a map
data identification unit 203, an information receiving unit 205, a
background data generation unit 206, and a route guidance unit 207. The
map database 201 maintains map data associated with a route. The map data
identification unit 203 identifies map data corresponding to a driving
route of a vehicle from the map database 201. The information receiving
unit 205 receives weather information associated with a current seasonal
weather from a background service server in real time. The background
data generation unit 206 generates background data according to an actual
environment based on the received weather information. The route guidance
unit 207 guides a route by associating the map data with the generated
background data.

[0023]The map display system 200 may be used in every system providing a
navigation, for example, a navigation system, a location-based service
system, and the like.

[0024]Also, the map display system 200 further includes a background
database 202 and an information identification unit 204. The background
database 202 stores a background table and a background color table. The
background table includes background information for each category, and
the background color table includes pattern information and color
information for each season. The information identification unit 204
identifies background information, and pattern information and color
information for each season corresponding to current date information
from the background database 202 by analyzing the current date
information. In this instance, the background data generation unit 206
generates the background data based on the identified background
information, the pattern information and the color information for each
season, and the weather information.

[0025]According to another embodiment of the present invention, the
background database 202 classifies the background information according
to a height of a terrain and stores the classified background
information. Also, the route guidance unit 207 differently displays the
map data according to the terrain expressed by the background
information.

[0026]According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the
map display system 200 further includes a user interface unit 208
receiving a starting location and a destination from a user. The route
guidance unit 207 guides the route by associating map data from the
starting location to the destination with the generated background data.

[0027]According to the present invention, the map display system 200
generates the background data based on the weather information received
in real time, the background information previously stored for each
season, the pattern information and the color information for each
season, guides the route by associating the background data with the map
data which is associated with the driving route of the vehicle, and
thereby may provide the map data in a more realistic manner.

[0028]FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying a map
according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method of
displaying a map according to another embodiment of the present invention
may be performed in a map display system 200 illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0029]In operation S301, a map database 201 of the map display system 200
maintains map data associated with a route. The map data is information
required when guiding the route, and may include route information and
map information associated with point of interest (POI) information. The
map information is in a text, an image, and a video file form. Also, the
map display system 200 may store audio information, which is required
when guiding the route, by associating with the map data.

[0030]In operation S302, a background database 202 of the map display
system 200 stores a background table and a background color table. The
background table includes background information for each category, and
the background color table includes pattern information and color
information for each season. According to an embodiment of the present
invention, the map display system 200 may maintain the background
database 202 by matching background information corresponding to each
point of the map data.

[0031]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a background
database according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032]As illustrated in FIG. 4, the background database 202 maintains a
background table and a background color table by matching background
identifiers (IDs) with each other.

[0033]The background table maintains a background ID, a background type, a
number of interpolation points, an x coordinate, and a y coordinate. The
background ID is a serial number for identifying each background, and may
be represented as `A001`, `A002` as illustrated in FIG. 4. The background
type refers to a background classified for each category. Also, the
background type is a text data type and may be classified by categories,
for example, a railroad, a road, a building, a golf course, a park, an
apartment, a housing complex, a farmland, a forestland including a
broadleaf forest and a conifer forest, a contour line, a water system,
and the like. The number of interpolation points is a number data type,
and a total number of interpolation points configuring an object of the
background. The x coordinate and the y coordinate are also the number
data type. The x coordinate and the y coordinate are an x coordinate,
i.e. latitude, and a y coordinate, i.e. longitude, of a coordinate list
configuring the object of the background.

[0034]The background color table maintains the background ID, a month and
season, an object outline, an object outline color, an object inner
color, an object inner pattern, a transparency, and a height. The month
and season are a text data type. Also, the month and season are
classified with respect to season, for example, March, April, and May for
spring, June, July, and August for summer, September, October, and
November for fall, and December, January, and February for winter, to
vary a background pattern and color for each season. The object outline
is an outline type of the object of the background. The object outline
color is an outline color of the object of the background. For example,
in spring, a solid line may be used as an outline type of the farmland,
and a green color may be used as an outline color of the farmland.

[0035]Also, the object inner color is a color which fills an inside of the
object of the background. The object inner pattern is a pattern which
fills the inside of the object of the background. For example, with
respect to spring, the object inner color may be represented as the green
color, and the object inner pattern may be represented as a rice pattern.
Also, the transparency indicates an extent of a transparency, a
translucency, and an opacity, and is represented as a value from 1 to 10.
The height is a height value corresponding to the object of the
background. According to an embodiment of the present invention, map data
may be differently displayed using the height for each terrain.

[0036]According to the present invention, background information is
classified according to the height for each terrain and the classified
background information is stored. The map data is differently displayed
according to the terrain expressed by the background information, and a
route is guided. Accordingly, an environment image as seen through a
driver's eyes may be provided in a navigation system.

[0037]In operation S303, a map data identification unit 203 of the map
display system 200 identifies map data corresponding to a driving route
of a vehicle from the map database 201. According to an embodiment of the
present invention, the map display system 200 may identify map data
corresponding to a driving route when requesting a navigation. Also, as
described above, terrain information such as the height of the map data
may be identified by referring to the background color table.
Accordingly, map data different according to a terrain may be displayed.

[0038]In operation S304, a background service server transmits weather
information to the map display system 200. The background service server
is a server transmitting the weather information in real time, and may
maintain a weather database associated with weather. The weather
information is current weather information such as snowing, raining,
cloudiness, being sunny, and the like. According to an embodiment of the
present invention, the background service server may transmit current
date information as well as the weather information.

[0039]Thus, according to the present invention, the map display system 200
provides the weather information such as raining, snowing, cloudiness,
and the like, by including the weather information in background data,
and thereby may enable a driver to expect and cope with a traffic
condition.

[0040]In operation S305, the map display system 200 receives the weather
information. Also, in operation S305, the map display system 200
identifies background information, and pattern information and color
information for each season corresponding to the current date information
from the background database 202 by analyzing the current date
information. In a conventional art, as illustrated in FIG. 1, map data
which is mainly focused on route data is generated, and thus guiding a
route is performed. However, according to the present invention, to guide
the route with a more realistic background environment, the background
information such as the farmland, the water system, the residential area,
and the like, and the pattern information and the color information
differently represented for each season are extracted.

[0041]According to an embodiment of the present invention, the map display
system 200 identifies background information matching each point of
previously identified map data from the background table. When an object
of the background information for each category is configured, the
pattern information and the color information for each season of each
background may be identified from the background color table.

[0042]In operation S306, a background data generation unit 206 of the map
display system 200 generates background data according to an actual
environment based on the weather information, the background information,
the pattern information and the color information for each season.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the map display
system 200 classifies the object of the farmland, the water system, the
residential area, and the like, in the previously identified map data,
and adds a pattern and a color to the classified object. Accordingly, the
map display system 200 generates the background data. Also, the map
display system 200 may generate the background data similar to a real
environment by further including the weather information such as raining,
snowing, cloudiness, and the like in the generated background data.

[0043]In operation S307, a route guidance unit 207 of the map display
system 200 guides a route by associating the map data with the generated
background data. In this instance, as described above, the map data may
be differently displayed according to the terrain expressed by the
background information. According to an embodiment of the present
invention, the route guidance unit 207 may include a display unit and an
audio output unit. The background data and text, image, video data
associated with the map may be outputted via the display unit. Also, the
route may be audio-guided via the audio output unit.

[0044]FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of map data provided by
associating with background data according to an embodiment of the
present invention.

[0045]As illustrated in FIG. 5, a map display system 200 differently
displays the background data according to a farmland 503, a residential
area 501, a water system 504, and the like by associating with the map
data. Referring to FIG. 1, in a conventional art, map data provides only
POI information based on route data. However, in FIG. 5, the residential
area 501 is represented in a different background, a different color, and
a different pattern. Also, a forestland 502 is represented as an
x-pattern, which is represented differently from the residential area
501. The farmland 503 is represented as a rice pattern, which is
represented differently from the residential area 501 and the forestland
502. The water system 504 may be represented in a blue color to be
represented more graphically.

[0046]Although not illustrated, the map display system 200 may differently
display the farmland 503 for each season, i.e. using a blue color in
spring and summer, a gold color in fall, and a white in winter.

[0047]FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying a map
according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Unlike
FIG. 3, FIG. 6 illustrates a navigation method which receives a starting
location and a destination from a user and associates map data from the
starting location to the destination with background data.

[0048]In operation S601, a map display system 200 maintains background
information for each category, and pattern information and color
information for each season according to the category in a background
database 202. The background database 202 has been described with
reference to FIG. 4.

[0049]In operation S602, the map display system 200 receives the starting
location and the destination from the user. The user may request a route
from a current location to the destination by inputting the destination
where the user desires to go. Accordingly, the map display system 200
identifies map data from the starting location to the destination from a
map database 201.

[0050]In operation S603, a background service server transmits date
information and weather information to the map display system 200. The
date information is information corresponding to a current date. For
example, the date information may be represented as 10 a.m., Apr. 19,
2005. The weather information is information such as raining, snowing,
cloudiness, and the like, as described above.

[0051]In operation S604, the map display system 200 receives the date
information and the weather information, and identifies background
information, and pattern information and color information for each
season corresponding to the date information from a background database
202. Since the pattern information and the color information are
classified with respect to season, the pattern information and the color
information for each season may be identified by corresponding to current
date information.

[0052]Operation 605 is identical to operation S306 and operation S606 is
identical to operation S307 described with reference to FIG. 3, and thus
descriptions with respect to operation S605 and operation S606 are
omitted.

[0053]The above-described embodiment of the present invention may be
recorded in computer-readable media including program instructions to
implement various operations embodied by a computer. The media may also
include, alone or in combination with the program instructions, data
files, data structures, and the like. The media and program instructions
may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the
present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to
those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of
computer-readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy
disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD ROM disks and DVD;
magneto-optical media such as optical disks; and hardware devices that
are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such
as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and
the like. The media may also be a transmission medium such as optical or
metallic lines, wave guides, etc. including a carrier wave transmitting
signals specifying the program instructions, data structures, etc.
Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as
produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level code that may
be executed by the computer using an interpreter. The described hardware
devices may be configured to act as one or more software modules in order
to perform the operations of the above-described embodiments of the
present invention.

[0054]Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown
and described, the present invention is not limited to the described
embodiments. Instead, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art
that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by
the claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0055]According to the present invention, a method and system for
displaying a map generates background data based on weather information
received in real time, background information previously stored for each
season, pattern information and color information for each season, guides
a route by associating the background data with map data which is
associated with a driving route of a vehicle, and thereby may provide the
map data in a more realistic manner.

[0056]Also, according to the present invention, a method and system for
displaying a map classifies background information according to a height
of a terrain, stores the classified background information, differently
displays map data according to the terrain expressed by the background
information, guides a route, and thereby may provide a background
environment as seen through a driver's eyes.

[0057]Also, according to the present invention, a method and system for
displaying a map provides weather information such as raining, snowing,
cloudiness, and the like, by including the weather information in
background data, and thereby may enable a driver to expect and cope with
a traffic condition.

[0058]Also, according to the present invention, a method and system for
displaying a map guides a route by associating map data from a starting
location to a destination, received from a user, with background data
similar to a real environment, and thereby may help a driver safely drive
a vehicle with a wide field of view.